


Hometown

by orphan_account



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: F/F, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-07
Updated: 2017-05-07
Packaged: 2018-10-29 07:43:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10849530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Severa returns to Ylisse from Nohr and has to face the things she’s left behind.





	Hometown

Returning to her home wasn’t the easiest thing. Despite coming back with the people she left with, Selena – now Severa again – ached at the thought of those she was forced to leave behind. Her eyes prickled with tears as she remembered the empty look in Camilla’s eyes as she watched her walk out the door.

As she walked the paths towards the castle, she found herself yearning for something. She’d separated herself from her friends who’d already returned home, feeling she needed time to come to terms with it all. Concluding that she couldn’t go back to Nohr, and that she couldn’t hide forever, she made herself wander the lonely road and face her fears.

People in the streets eyed her with bewildered regard. Some seemed to recognize her; some wondered where she came from. An elderly woman stopped her to ask if she was alright, saying she was worried after seeing her look so worried. Severa simply explained she was coming home after a long absence. The woman wished her luck.

Reaching the glorious castle gates, all the temptation to bolt flooded her body, and it took all she could to resist it. One foot in front of the other, breathe deep, breathe slow. She could not go back now, as much as her mind screamed at her to. Beautiful gardens surrounded her, statues of kings long gone decorated walkways and arches. Roses and hydrangea blossomed either side of the path, fragrant and striking.

The doors were open; she was home.

Forcing her aching legs up the stairs, she began her way through luxurious hallways, decorated with pristine paintings and finery. Little had changed in the time she’d been gone. From what she’d worked out, it had only been a few years. And yet, despite so little changing, it all felt so different. Down the corridor, she could hear laughter, familiar and bright. She began in the direction of it.

Laslow – now Inigo again – stood at the side of Cynthia, talking cheerfully to Owain and Brady. They were swapping stories, laughing, grinning. She lingered in the hallway and felt a churning in her stomach. This was wrong, it was all wrong. This didn’t feel right. This place was alien and she didn’t understand how they were so happy. Before they noticed her arrival, she fled the scene with immediacy.

But of course, avoiding her friends was one thing, avoiding her family was another. This rang true as she was spotted by her mother, whose eyes widened at the sight of her. She approached, and Severa winced slightly. She loved her mother, but could barely stand to see her. She’d left her behind in Nohr, and came back to her in Ylisse. “You’re back...”  
“I know.” The response was curt.  
“I missed you.”  
“Thanks.”

Cordelia’s annoyance was blatant on her face, and she struggled to slightly mask it. The ungrateful behaviour bothered her, but she didn’t want to lash at her daughter the moment she returned. Forcing herself to soften her gaze, she tried to converse again.  
“What was it like? I’ve heard stories from the other two.”  
“It was stressful.”  
“I heard the others had family back there.”  
“Yeah, and?”  
“Did you?”

Severa made an attempt to leave, but her mother’s fingers locked on her wrist. She wasn’t having this; her daughter could not run away from everything. No one would accept a lack of response; they were all excited to hear about things. The pigtailed girl averted her gaze, flinching against her mother’s stern tone.

“Why won’t you talk about any of this?”  
“I just wanted to leave it all behind!”  
“It’s not that easy, Severa! Everyone was worried about you! They’ll want to know everything; you can’t hide from it forever!” Cordelia sounded almost desperate.  
Heaving a sigh, her daughter growled, “I had a wife. There. Now you know.”  
“Could you not have brought her with you?”  
“No. If that was possible, why wouldn’t the others have brought their own families back?”  
Cordelia nodded, and released her grip, “I know you’re scared, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been so forceful. I’m just glad that you’re back and alive.”  
“Thanks.”

Turning on her heel once more, Severa briskly walked away, retreating to the castle gardens. She sat on a bench and huffed, running her fingers over the cold stone and admiring the foliage. There was an undeniable relief about this solitude, interrupted only by the bird’s song and the whispering wind. Sun beamed down over fields of green and encouraged butterflies to dance on its tender rays. Severa watched as they somersaulted and intertwined.

Then, suddenly, a figure made its way from the path behind her, and took a seat beside her. Blue hair fell loosely over a baggy t-shirt with a strange slogan on, and hands rested on black leggings. It was Lucina, who smiled ever so sweetly at her friend who’d finally come home. Severa tried her hardest to smile back, but there was an urge to laugh at the ill fitting, peculiar shirt the other had on.

“I missed you.” She spoke mellifluously, tilting her head a little as she glanced over the redhead.  
“Thanks...” Severa mumbled, looking away, “I missed you too, I guess.”  
“You’ve hardly changed.” A tender laugh spilled out as her sentence finished, “But I wouldn’t say that’s a bad thing.”  
“I’m glad someone appreciates it.” The redhead chuckled, beginning to smile sincerely, “I did miss you, believe it or not.”  
That was when Lucina’s expression dropped, and she sighed a little, “Owain told me you have a wife now?”  
“Had.” She scowled and looked away, “It’s not his business to share that anyway.”  
“I know that you didn’t know if you’d come back and everything. I was just a little sad to know about it.”  
“I’m sorry.”

There was an agonizing silence, as they thought it all over. Prior to her abandonment for another war, Severa had been in a relationship with the Ylissean princess. However, caught up in everything away from home, uncertain if she’d live it out and driven by an undeniable attraction to another princess, she had been unfaithful. It was questionable if it could really be called unfaithful, and it was clear Lucina knew not if that was the right phrase.

“Do you love her?”  
“We were married but... More than anything, I was lonely.”  
“Do you love her?!” The words were barked.  
“Even if I did, there’s no going back.”  
“I see.”  
“I don’t not love you.”  
“What the hell does that mean?” Irritation rose in the princess’ throat like bile.  
“It’s not that I don’t have feelings for you.”  
“I waited for you to come home. I lived day after day in fear that you’d be dead, that you’d not come back. The least you could fucking do is pretend you still love me!  
“I’m not saying that I don’t!” Severa howled, eyes narrowing and heart pounding, “This is just all so much to deal with! I don’t even know I feel about being back here, let alone how I feel about you!”

That certainly wasn’t the best thing to say, as Lucina took from the bench, and retreated inside with bleary eyes. There was nothing the redhead could do was watch and cry. This wasn’t what she wanted to happen; she hoped for her not to know. Of course she loved her, but years of absence will change the heart. She wanted to be faithful, but she was so lonely. She was convinced she’d never come back home.

But here she was, caught in a difficult situation. Tangled up in the things she wanted to avoid, all because she couldn’t stand the loneliness. It didn’t help her two closest friends finding love. On that bench in the garden, she sat and sobbed until she could sob no more. She remained stationary until the moon reared its ugly head, and the night air dropped rapidly in degrees. Miserably, she returned inside.

There was no way she could go without laying this all to rest. Trudging down the halls on heavy feet, she made her way to Lucina’s door, and knocked anxiously with a trembling fist. A silence, then eventually a strangled voice called, “Come in.”  
The princess sat on the bed, pillow pulled close to her chest. She looked away from Severa as she made her way through, and winced as she sat down on the silk sheets.

“I’m sorry.” It came out so clean, so sincere, “If you want me to be honest, I didn’t think about you at the time. I had to leave everything behind when I went to Nohr. I know it’s not a good excuse, and I don’t want it to be. I’ve done wrong, I know that. But coming back home, seeing you in the garden, all those feelings came rushing back to me. You know I’m not great with expressing feelings, and I’m sorry. I’m sorry I made you so upset.”  
“I was naive to think I’d be on your mind while you were gone.” She frowned, fidgeting a little and glancing towards the other, “But you need to know that this whole time, I’ve pined for you. I’ve had chances to move on but I couldn’t stand the idea of it. You’re the only person I love like this, the only person I could ever truly love with my whole heart.”

A silence came again, then a gasp, as Severa wrapped an arm around Lucina’s shoulders and kissed her head. The smaller of the two placed her pillow at the side of her, and shifted so she could wrap her arms around the other’s middle. Burying her face, the scent of warming, familiar perfume permeated her senses, and she held her tighter.

“I still love you, Lucina.” The words came out in a shaky voiced whimper, from a person moved intensely at the tender words spoken to her.  
“I love you too.” She looked up, eyes misty and lip quivering, “P-Please, let’s move past this? Let things be the way they were before?”  
“Of course.”


End file.
